New Toolkit Helps Fish and Chip Shops with Responsible Sourcing

UK - Seafish is currently distributing a new toolkit to fish and chip shops to help increase the understanding of fish provenance and responsible sourcing among employees and customers.

The toolkit includes a short educational film that highlights the importance of responsible sourcing and illustrates the fact that the majority of cod eaten in the UK and sold in ‘chippies’, is imported from sustainable stocks from Norwegian, Icelandic and Russian waters.

Andy Gray, Trade Marketing Manager at Seafish, organiser of the annual National Fish & Chip Awards, said: “With provenance increasingly driving consumer choice across the entire food and drink sector, there has never been a better time to promote the topics of responsible sourcing and sustainability in fish and chip shops.

“Consumers are increasingly wanting to know more about where their food comes from, therefore employees need to be better informed about the subject of responsible sourcing, so that they can talk confidently to customers and assure them that there is plenty of fish available for them to continue eating the nation’s favourite takeaway.

“The film developed with input from the Frozen At Sea Fillets Association (FASFA), is intended as an educational tool for both staff and customers, therefore we hope it can be used as a training tool for shop staff and also played for customers to watch while waiting to be served, as well as hopefully featuring on shop websites.”

John Rutherford of the Frozen at Sea Fillets Association said: “Our customers have always taken the need for a proven, long-term sustainable supply chain seriously. The information in this new toolkit will help further inform business, staff and customers alike, giving confidence to the millions of UK consumers who enjoy eating fish and chips.”

Seafish is also supplying shops with support materials including:

an overview of the topics of responsible sourcing and sustainability, relating to the fish and chip sector

Copies of Seafish Responsible Sourcing Guides, highlighting 13 fish species that are regularly sold in fish and chip shops

Related print-ready artwork to enable shops to easily produce posters

Details of the recently published Seafish Seafood Guide

With support from Seafood Scotland and the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), later this year selected finalists of The 2015 National Fish & Chip Awards will be invited by Seafish on study trips to Peterhead, North East Scotland and Norway, to learn more about the responsible sourcing of fish for the UK fish and chip sector.

Seafish, whose primary aim is to ensure a profitable and sustainable future for the UK seafood industry, invites shops on these annual trips to further demonstrate the management of sustainable fisheries and witness first-hand the entire journey a fish takes from catch to fryer.